• The Western Escarpment of the Guadalupes rises above the white gypsum sands of the desert floor.

    Guadalupe Mountains

    National Park Texas

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  • Smoking Restrictions

    Guadalupe Mountains National Park Superintendent Dennis A. Vásquez announced that the park will restrict smoking beginning Sunday, May 12, 2013, as a precautionary measure due to the park’s HIGH fire danger rating. More »

Directions

Getting There

By Car

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in far West Texas on U.S. Highway 62/180. The driving distance is 110 miles east of El Paso, Texas, or 56 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Visitors traveling to Dog Canyon, on the park's north side, can access the area via New Mexico State Road 137.

Plane

The closest large commercial airline service is El Paso, Texas. Other airlines serve Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lubbock and Midland, Texas and Mesa Airlines offers passenger service between Albuquerque and Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Public Transportation There is no public transportation or shuttle service available in the park.

Getting Around

While the approach to Guadalupe Mountains National Park is scenic from any direction, there are no paved driving tours within the park. Park roads provide access to the Pine Springs Visitor Center and Pine Springs Campground, the McKittrick Canyon Contact Station, Frijole Ranch, Williams Ranch (4X4 only), and trailheads.

Most visitors enjoy the park by hiking along one of over 80 miles of trails; trails range in difficulty from easy to strenuous. Many trails are rocky, often steep, and rugged. Trails lead to Guadalupe Peak, around the base of El Capitan, up into the high country, and into McKittrick Canyon. Self-guided nature trails are located at McKittrick Canyon (McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail), at the Headquarters Visitor Center (Pinery Trail), and at Dog Canyon (Indian Meadow Trail).

Did You Know?

Desert coyotes are fairly common in the park

Desert coyotes feed on delicacies such as crickets, quail, cactus fruits, rodents, and carrion. Weighing half as much as coyotes elsewhere, they have shorter, thinner, and paler fur which not only blends with the barren landscape, but also helps dissipate heat.